DAILY NATION Wednesday February 4, 2015 FRESH ROW | Dialogue sanctioned by Supreme Court fails Ngilu, Swazuri differ on powers, yet again Ministry wants more time for talks, NLC wants court to issue advisory opinion BY PAUL OGEMBA @PaulOgemba pogemba@ke.nationmedia.com A fresh row has erupted between the two land chiefs over separation of powers and duties. Talks between Land Cabi- net Secretary Charity Ngilu and National Land Commission chairman Mohammed Swazuri sanctioned by the Supreme Court failed, with the minister disowning a report by a committee tasked to identify their disputes and recommend solutions to end the wrangles. Whereas Mrs Ngilu wants more time for dialogue, the commission insisted that the mediation had failed and wants the Supreme Court to go ahead and issue an advisory opinion on their mandate. “The Land CS wants the talks to continue, but it is the commission which is pushing the court to resolve the dispute through introduction of a strange document not agreed upon by all parties. The ministry is being dragged into the court process without its wishes,” said lawyer Paul Muite for the Mrs Ngilu. Mr Muite argued that the committee’s report was one ISSUES AT HAND Court set to mediate row NLC’s petition sought the court’s opinion on administration of public and private land, appointment of lands registrars and questions on renewals of land leases. The ministry however said the wrangles were as a result of NLC’s selfish interests and that it was acting out of ill-motive to lock needy Kenyans out of getting land titles. The court will give a ruling on February 11 whether to readmit the petition or allow time for more talks. sided as it only recommended views presented by NLC, and that it was illegally constituted without three representatives nominated by the minister. He claimed that there was no joint committee of NLC and Ministry of Land and that the contents in the report were misleading. “One contention of the re- port is the requirement that all land rates the ministry has collected be remitted to NLC. The ministry’s stand is that NLC has no power to collect rates, and in any event, that is the duty of the Kenya Revenue Authority,” he said. The commission however, through lawyer Tom Ojienda, blamed Mrs Ngilu for the continued stalemate saying they did their part according to the Supreme Court direction and came up with a report which the Mrs Ngilu refused to sign. “The CS is acting in bad faith by refusing to acknowledge or sign the report yet it was prepared by a joint technical implementa- tion committee,” said Prof Ojienda. He said the commission was not interested in more talks with the minister and asked the court to readmit their petition for full hearing. The court last year gave the commission and the ministry three months which expired on January 28 to have dialogue and find a solution to their wrangles, failure to which they would readmit NLC’s petition seeking an advisory opinion on the commission’s mandate as an independent body. Upon expiry of the three months, Prof Ojienda wrote to the Supreme Court judges saying NLC had agreed with the report and signed it but that the ministry had backtracked and was unwilling to commit to mediation. “We therefore request the court to grant us a hearing date on a priority basis to have the judges determine the dispute and issue a concrete determination,” said Prof Ojienda. SALATON NJAU\NAIROBI First Lady Margaret Kenyatta carries Hope Obonyo, 3, during the handing over of a newborns’ unit at Kenyatta National Hospital yesterday. Safaricom Foundation refurbished and equipped the unit at a cost of Sh50 million. HEALTH| First Lady hands over unit National News 11 BRIEFLY KITUI Two die in separate highway accidents Two men were killed in road accidents in Mwingi on the Thika-Garissa Highway. On Sunday, Mr Mwendwa Mulyungi, a passenger on a miraa truck died after it burst a tyre and rolled. The second man was hit by a car on Monday and died on the spot. “The man was walking in the middle of the road,” Mwingi Traffic Base Commander Bernard Ochanda said yesterday. NAIROBI Warden charged with carrying python skin A prison warden has been charged with illegal possession of game trophies. Mr Alfayo Kimutai Kimoso, who was arrested at a bus stop in Nairobi on Monday, appeared before a Kibera magistrate for allegedly dealing in crocodile and python skins without a permit. He denied the charges and was released on a Sh200,000 bond or an alternative cash bail of Sh50,000. The hearing will be on March 30. THARAKA-NITHI Robbers block road but crime thwarted Two robbers blocked the Chuka-Meru highway on Monday night to attack motorists. However, police responded to distress calls and chased them away. Tharaka-Nithi police boss Johnston Ipara said the gangsters had blocked the highway at the Nithi bridge using rocks and were hiding in nearby hills waiting for motorists. The road users were stranded until police arrived. UNICEF Vacancy Announcement: KCO/SSA/CP/2015/003 CONSULTANT Child Protection Consultant for Information Management and Monitoring and Evaluation NO-B KCO/SSA/HLTH/2015/002 CONSULTANT: URBAN PROGRAMMES NO-D DURATION: 06 MONTHS Date of Issue: 04 FEBRUARY 2015 Closing Date: 11 FEBRUARY 2015 For Detailed Scope of work, how to apply and application form, please visit: (http://www.unicef.org/kenya) UNICEF VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT KCO/C4D/2015-01 Communication for Development Officer, NO-A, Nairobi KCO/NUTR/2015-02 Nutrition Supply Chain Management Specialist, NO-C, Nairobi KCO/CP/2015-03 Child Protection Specialist (Emergency), NO-C Nairobi Temporary Appointment Duty Station: Nairobi Date of Issue: 04February, 2015 Closing Date: 17February, 2015 For Detailed Scope of work, how to apply and application form, please visit: (http://www.unicef.org/kenya) PUBLIC NOTICE Incompliance with the NTSA directive dated 30th January 2015, Pinnacle Systems Ltd hereby invites our esteemed customers for free post sales services to be conducted on all motor vehicle fitted with Auto grade Speed Limiter in all our distribution and fitting centers. 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